Spain and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has been ruled out of his country’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury, his club confirmed on Friday.
The 18-year-old winger will miss Spain’s clashes with Georgia and Bulgaria later this month, and could also be sidelined for the highly anticipated El Clásico against Real Madrid on October 26.
Barcelona revealed that Yamal aggravated the injury during the club’s 2-1 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
“The groin problem for Lamine Yamal has returned following the game against PSG. The player will miss [Sunday’s] game against Sevilla and his recovery time is estimated at 2–3 weeks,” the La Liga side said in a statement.
The setback is a bitter blow for the teenager, who had only just returned from a previous three-week layoff. Yamal made his first start since August in Barcelona’s win over Real Sociedad last weekend before completing 90 minutes against PSG.
Club vs. Country Concerns
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has previously expressed frustration, suggesting that Yamal’s condition was worsened by his involvement in Spain’s September World Cup qualifiers. The situation has sparked renewed debate over how national teams manage young players recovering from injury.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, however, downplayed tensions, insisting there is no rift between him and Flick.
“There is no conflict with Flick. I was simply surprised by those statements because he has been a national team coach, and I thought he had that empathy,” de la Fuente said while unveiling his squad for the upcoming qualifiers.
Despite the controversy, de la Fuente stressed the importance of Spain’s next fixtures.
“You know we have two very important matches; we are playing for the World Cup. It seems like they’re in the background, and we’re talking about Flick,” he added.
Spain’s Road Ahead
Spain, who sit near the top of their qualifying group, are aiming to secure early passage to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Yamal’s absence will be keenly felt, given his explosive form and growing importance for both club and country.
Barcelona, meanwhile, face an anxious wait to see whether the teenager will be fit for the Clásico showdown with Real Madrid, a fixture that could shape the La Liga title race.
Source – My News Ghana
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